Famine has been declared in two Sudanese cities cut off by war, even as food security has begun improving in areas where fighting has subsided, three UN agencies reported Tuesday, according to United Nations (UN). Famine conditions have been confirmed in Darfur’s El Fasher and Kadugli, where people have endured months without reliable access to food or medical care, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP), and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said.
UN chief António Guterres called for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan on Tuesday as disturbing images of apparent mass killings in El Fasher and elsewhere continue circulating online. He appealed to the Sudanese Armed Forces and the rebel paramilitary Rapid Support Forces to come to the negotiating table to end what he called “this nightmare of violence.” Heavy fighting erupted in Sudan in April 2023 between the rival armies, creating a massive humanitarian disaster. Last week saw the fall of government-held El Fasher after more than 500 days of siege by rebels. Hundreds of civilians—including humanitarian workers—are believed to have been killed, and many others are trapped behind barricades.
The latest UN-backed IPC food security analysis found that roughly 21.2 million people in Sudan—45% of the population—are facing high levels of acute food insecurity, representing a slight improvement. An estimated 3.4 million people are no longer facing crisis levels of hunger. The improvements follow gradual stabilization since May in three states—Khartoum, Al Jazirah, and Sennar—where conflict has eased and families are returning.
But the gains are limited, the agencies said. The wider crisis has shattered the economy and vital services, and much of the infrastructure people rely on has been damaged or destroyed. Global acute malnutrition rates are alarmingly high, ranging from 38% to 75% in El Fasher and reaching nearly 30% in Kadugli. This is happening as outbreaks of cholera, malaria, and measles continue rising in areas where health, water, and sanitation systems have collapsed.
